Calendar software applications have become a common management tool in many office environments. Many calendar software applications allow users to create and store calendar items in a computer to keep track of an event such as a meeting, an appointment, etc. A calendar item, which is a discrete collection of information that represents an event, can be used to store data that describes the event, data that identifies the time of the event, and other data that is related to the event. The other data may be in the form of a document or other type of data file. Many calendar software applications allow an event organizer to list the names of other users in a calendar item in a way that invites the listed users to the event. When an event organizer lists other users in a calendar item, the calendar item and all of its related data are sent to each listed user for storage in the personal calendar databases of each listed user. Many calendar software applications also send an electronic notification to each listed user, which allows each listed user to accept or deny the storage of the calendar item in their personal calendar database.
Although existing calendar software applications are suitable for performing the aforementioned tasks, existing calendar software applications have certain drawbacks. For example, existing calendar software applications do not have features for protecting the integrity of data stored in a calendar database. For example, if a user instructs a system to delete a calendar item that represents an event that occurred in the past, most existing systems immediately delete the calendar item. When calendar items of past events are deleted or modified, the data stored by the calendar software application does not provide an accurate record of past events. As a result, existing calendar software applications cannot be relied on to provide an accurate source of data if a user needs to access, review, or monitor records of past events.
The above-described problem is exacerbated when users modify a series of events, also referred to as a series of recurring calendar items. For example, if a user creates a series of recurring calendar items that represents a weekly recurring event for an entire calendar year and then deletes or modifies the series of calendar items, most existing calendar software applications immediately delete or modify all of the calendar items that have occurred in the past as well as all future calendar items. Thus, important stored data associated with past calendar items, which may not be recalled by the user, may be inadvertently deleted or modified by one command. This loss of past event data presents a significant obstacle if it becomes necessary to recall records of past events.
In addition to the drawbacks caused by the modification or deletion of calendar items of past events, a modification to a series of recurring calendar items may cause other problems when a number of users are listed in each recurring calendar item. For example, when an organizer modifies a series of calendar items, many existing systems simply provide each listed user with a request to approve or deny the modification. If a user approves the modification, most systems simply apply the modification to all related calendar items. Thus, existing systems do not allow each listed user to readily control and modify each calendar item that is stored in their personal calendar database.
As will be readily understood from the foregoing, there is a need for an improved system and method for managing calendar items in a calendar software application that allows users to modify calendar items without manipulating past calendar items. In addition, there exists a need for an improved system and method that allow users to manage and modify individual calendar items when a modification is made to a series of individual calendar items.